Many actors from Bollywood eagerly await to grab an opportunity to work in Hollywood as it gives them an edge and exposure of working in the world’s largest film industry.
Late actor Amrish Puri, who is known for his role Mogambo in Mr. India, had also worked successfully in a Hollywood film.
Amrishji played the villain Mola Ram in Steven Spielberg’s popular 1984 film, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
You would be surprised to know that Amrishji had turned down the offer of working in the Hollywood film initially.
According to Amrishji’s autobiography, The Act of Life, he refused to audition for the role and instead asked the American casting agents to watch his work in his new film.
However, later, he agreed to the role and years later, Spielberg was quoted saying, “Amrish is my favourite villain. The best the world has ever produced and ever will.”
Amrishji’s career spanning 40 years had him work in over 450 films. He was one of the most successful villains of Hindi film industry.
Even his brothers Madan Puri and Chaman Puri were good actors who were known for playing negative roles in movies.
After getting rejected in the first screen test, Amrishji started performing in theatre shows. It soon made him get work in television and eventually to movies at the age of 40.
Amrishji has worked in different languages films as well such as Marathi, Punjabi, Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil films.
By Sahana Iyer
